The Anniversary
by AnnaPhylactic
Summary: On their wedding anniversary, Trip takes Hoshi on a trip down memory lane: to the decomissioned Enterprise NX-01. But unexpected feelings are stirred up... Was going to be a one-parter, but I added another!
1. Default Chapter

The Anniversary

By AnnaPhylactic

Disclaimer: Don't own Star Trek, but then, you all know that.

Premise:  Trip arranges a surprise for Hoshi on their wedding anniversary.  Post-Enterprise.

------------

"Trip?  Where exactly are we going?"

"Hang on, darlin', just a bit longer."

Trip led Hoshi further down the almost pitch-black corridor.

"Oww!" She cried out.  "I just stubbed my toe!"

"We're here," Trip said, ignoring her and pushing open a steel door to the left of them.

Peering inside, Hoshi realised they were entering an enormous space dock.  

"Just down this walkway – come on," Trip reached for her hand.  

Hoshi kept looking, and soon realised they were headed for whichever star ship was docked in front of them, but she was too close to see anything.

"Trip Tucker – if you are taking me to look at some new type of warp core you'll be sorry," she warned, following on behind her husband reluctantly.

Trip just chuckled ahead of her but didn't reply.

"We'll use this to get to the ship," he informed her as they reached the end of the walkway, an orbital pod was waiting at the end of it.

As they slowly moved off towards the enormous star ship, Hoshi began to see a bit more.  Then, spotting something, she stood up to get a better look.

"Recognise it yet?" Trip asked, with a smile.

Hoshi turned to him, an amazed look on her face.

"Trip… is this Enterprise?" she asked.

"Enterprise NX-01, the first ship of it's kind, and possibly the best, in the flesh, so-to-speak.  Happy Anniversary, Hoshi."

Hoshi turned around again to get a better look at the ship on which she had served for five years of her life.

"Trip, I don't know what to say.  How did you get clearance for this?"

"Let's just say I have connections."

They both felt a jolt as the pod docked on the underside of the ship.

"Ready to step aboard?" Trip asked quietly, reaching for her hand.  

After a pause, Hoshi nodded, putting her hand in his.

----------------

They went to the bridge first.

Hoshi hurried to her old console and sat herself down.  She ran her hands over the old controls.

"It's just the same," she said, shaking her head.

"'Course it is," Trip smiled, sitting himself opposite her in the captain's chair.  "Been kept in premium condition ever since it was decommissioned.  This baby's still the pride 'a Star Fleet."

Hoshi was still shaking her head.

"It's weird being here without the others, isn't it?" she smiled, looking round.  "It just feels so… empty."

She looked back to her husband, but he was looking at her in a way that made her say;

"What is it?"

Trip didn't break his gaze.  "I was jus' rememberin' the first time I ever saw you.  You were sat right there, tryin' out your chair, spinnin' it round –"

Hoshi blushed a little and giggled.  

"You must have wondered what Jonathan had let us all in for, choosing me."

Trip shook his head.  "Nah.  I coughed or somethin' – you hadn't heard anyone come in, and you went all red like ya did jus' now and apologised.  I remember thinkin' even then how beautiful you were."

Hoshi stared at him.  

"You really remember all that?"

"Of course, I do."

There was a long silence between them.

"C'mon," Trip said at last, "We've only got a couple of hours, and we've got to see everythin'."

-------------

"You remember this?" Trip asked her.

"Of course I remember this, it's Engineering."

"Not the room," Trip said impatiently, "I mean this spot."

Hoshi looked about them.

"Remember what?" she asked innocently.

Trip ran a hand through his hair indignantly.  "Well if you don't remember, I ain't remindin' ya."

He started to walk away but Hoshi caught his arm.

"No wait – something interesting must've happened here, or you wouldn't have said anything.  Please tell me," she said sweetly.

"Something interesting!" Trip exploded, he swung round quickly, but then saw her face. He relaxed immediately.  "This," he said pointing, "this is the place where we had our first ever kiss, but _you, you already knew that."_

Hoshi smiled at him teasingly.  

"Of course I did.  I'm surprised _you remembered though."_

"Why?" Trip asked surprised.

Hoshi shrugged.  

"You've been so busy lately I'm surprised you even remembered our anniversary."

She walked towards the warp core; the antimatter inside was dormant, the old hum absent.

"You miss Enterprise, don't you?" she asked, turning to Trip.

He stood quietly, watching her.  "Sure," he said lightly.  "Don't you?"  

Hoshi shook her head.  "Sometimes," she said slowly.  "But I love being able to teach again.  I love the home we've made with you, me and Charlie.  Serving aboard Enterprise was incredible, but I've _done it.  Do you know what I mean?"_

Trip stared round his old engine room, not answering immediately.

"I know you'd like to serve in deep space again, Trip, you don't have to pretend.  And I know about the job offer – Jonathan told me, he thought I knew."

Trip went to her.  "I should've told you before, Hoshi, I'm sorry.  But there seemed no point in the end.  I can't take it."

"Chief Engineer on Star Fleet's newest deep space vessel?  Don't tell me you didn't consider it."

"It's two years minimum," Trip told her.

"So?"

"_So I can't do it," he snapped.  "I'm sorry," he said, taking a deep breath.  "I shouldn't a talked to you like that.  Look, let's go to the Mess Hall or somethin'," he suggested, starting towards the door._

But Hoshi stood her ground.

"You gave all this up for me, Trip, and you're about to do it again - without even _discussing it with me.  I'm not going to let you turn down every opportunity you get because you think I won't like it."_

"Listen to me, Hoshi," Trip walked back to her, his temper rising.  "I didn't give up the Enterprise, she was decommissioned.  We were all out of a job, if ya remember?  I took a position on Earth because I wanted us to be together - I wanted us to build a home together, and I don't regret a single second of it."

"But can you honestly tell me that if you hadn't had a wife and baby, you wouldn't have been on the first ship back out there?  You could've had your own command by now!" Hoshi persisted.

Trip kept shaking his head.  "No, Hoshi, _no.  I'm not havin' this conversation.  Let's go to the Mess Hall."_

---------------

"Where did Chef go after we came home?" Hoshi asked, peering into the empty food cabinets of the Mess Hall.

"Star Fleet Headquarters," Trip grinned. "Though Travis did suggest he open an intergalactic restaurant.  Most everyone that came on board this ship would've eaten there."

"They could've made him the next cultural ambassador for Earth," Hoshi giggled.

"They could've had a toss-up between him and T'Pol."

Hoshi laughed.  

"You know, I always thought she liked you," Hoshi smiled to herself.  "And yes, I do mean it _that way."_

"What?"

"T'Pol.  I mean, she was always very disapproving of our relationship.  I used to think she was jealous."

"Have you been drinkin'?" Trip asked.

"I don't think she was ever in love with you, or anything like that.  More a physical thing.  I think the captain was a better match-up.  She probably didn't see you as being mentally mature enough."

"Oh, thanks."

"Oh well, she didn't know you like I do, dear," Hoshi muttered absent-mindedly.

"Are you done, yet?" Trip asked

"I think so."  She looked up, beaming at him.  "I know where to go next."

He followed her out, mumbling behind her…

_"Not mentally mature enough, my ass…"_

--------------

"My turn this time," Hoshi grinned, as Trip raised his eyebrows.

"A shuttle pod?"

"Not _a shuttle pod, __the shuttle pod."_

"_The shuttle pod – you're sure it's this one?"_

"Uh-huh," Hoshi said, still grinning.

"The one we took on shore leave?  The one Charlie…"

"Was conceived in?" Hoshi finished.  "Uh-huh."

Trip grinned this time.  

"Oh."

"You do remember, I hope?"

Trip scratched his chin thoughtfully.  

"Hmm… Now I seem to remember somethin' happenin'… Didn't I get sunburn that week?"

Hoshi brushed past, accidentally digging him in the ribs.

"Ow!"

"Oh, sorry!"

Hoshi walked through to the cockpit.

"I'd forgotten how small these things are," she said, looking round.

"Cosy enough for two," Trip grinned.

"We did have fun, didn't we?" she asked, a little wistfully.

"You make it sound like all the fun's over."

"It's felt like it sometimes.  Or are you and the boys at Jupiter station having fun without me?"

Trip sighed and closed his eyes briefly

"Hoshi, I know I haven't been very… _attentive lately, and I'm sorry.  I wanted to bring you here to remind you about how good things can be between us, like they were in the beginning."_

"Trip –"

"No, Hoshi, let me finish.  Ya think I didn't tell you about that job because I wanted to take it.  The real reason is it made me realise how much I _didn't want to go back inta space.  I'm happy with you and Charlie – really happy, and I don't want that to change.  I'm goin' to try harder.  After all you're right, we've been into space, we've __done it.  And we were the first.  Now I can do just as important work right here, with you."_

"With no regrets?"

Trip shook his head.  

"None."

Hoshi smiled gently.  She leant forward and rested her forehead against his, lightly kissing his cheek.

"It's been a lovely present, Trip, thank you," she said.

"Happy Anniversary, baby," he said softly, kissing her.

After a time, Hoshi stirred and pulled herself free of Trip's arms.

"There's only one small problem," Hoshi admitted, a mischievous tone in her voice.

"Hmm?" 

"Being back here, on Enterprise…  It's reminded me how much _I came to love being in space."_

"Hoshi!"

-------------------------------------

The End

Please read/review – I'd like that!


	2. Back to Reality

Part Two:

A/N   Pure self-indulgence this, but I couldn't get the scenario out of my head.  Here's what happened after the anniversary date…

----------

Jonathan Archer rang the door chime and waited.  

"Jon!  Hello!"

"Hoshi!" Archer leaned forward to kiss her on the cheek.  "How are you?"

"I'm fine, fine.  Come in.  Sorry about the mess.  Please – sit down," Hoshi indicated the sofa.  

"It's looking great in here," Jonathan said pleasantly.  "Last time I came you were still choosing the paint.  Who won by the way?"

"We compromised," Hoshi smiled.  "You like it?"

"Sure – though I seem to remember red was _your choice."_

"Okay, maybe some of us compromised more than others," Hoshi admitted.  "How's the new job going?"

Archer spread his hands.  "Good.  A lot of work, you know, but good.  We're nowhere near ready to launch, six months off at least.  I've still only got half a crew."

There was an awkward pause.

"Well, I as recall you're pretty good at getting crews out early," Hoshi said.  "I'm sure you'll get away smoothly."

Archer stood up, feeling somewhat awkward and self-conscious. He glanced at the photos over the fire place.

"How's Charles Tucker the Fourth doing these days?  Still the terror of North America?"

Hoshi laughed.  "I think he's mellowing with age!  Or some of the Sato genes are showing at last.  He'll be starting school soon.  Trip and I can't believe it.  He can't wait, of course." 

"Next thing you know he'll be joining Star Fleet."

"Don't I know it!  He's training right this very minute.  He and Charles Tucker the Third are in the garage trying to build Star Fleet's next shuttle craft."

Jonathan smiled.  

"I'd better watch my job."

"You should go and join them.  They probably need the help," Hoshi joked.

"I'll do that," Archer said, getting up.  

"It's out the back, to the right," Hoshi told him, heading back towards the kitchen.

"Thanks."

As he got to the door, however, Archer paused.

"Hoshi?"

She came back to the living room.

"Yes?"

"You could come with us you know.  To the Enterprise, I mean.  I could always make use of the best linguist in Star Fleet."

"What about Charlie?" she asked ruefully.  

"I can talk to HQ.  They've been talking about allowing Star Fleet officers to take family members on missions."

"Somehow I don't think they had the Enterprise in mind when they said that," Hoshi smiled.  "Go and talk to Trip, Jon.  We'll speak later."

-----------

"Hello?"

Jonathan entered the garage.  It was organised chaos.  The walls were covered with various tools and schematics.  Strangely shaped pieces of metal were littered across benches along the sides of the room.  In the middle of the floor crouched Trip and his young son; busy putting the finishing touches to a toy shuttle craft, which was a violent shade of pink.

"Is this Star Fleet's secret new shuttle pod I've been hearing about?" Jonathan asked.  "Admiral Forrest told me it was the best yet."

Father and son looked up.  Trip grinned at his friend, then smiled with paternal pride as his son rushed up to greet the visitor.

"Did he really, Uncle Jon?" Charlie asked, wide-eyed.

"Sure did.  _But only if it can fly.  He said that's pretty important for a shuttle craft."_

"Can I go try it, Daddy?" Charlie asked eagerly, turning to Trip.

"Well okay," Trip said, standing up to pass the toy to his son. "But be careful; and stay in the garden."

Charlie ran out of the garage.

Trip chuckled.

"You better be careful what you say you know, that boy don't forget anythin'.  He'll be expectin' ta see those things on the Enterprise next."

Archer looked back with a worried look.

"Do they all have to be pink?"

Trip laughed.  "Uh-huh."

He started to tidy up the mess on the floor, but he looked up at Archer.

"What're ya doin' here, Jon?"

"You can't guess?"

"No, I can.  You've come ta press gang me inta' takin' that job.  But before you start, jus' let me tell ya, the answer's no."

"Trip-"

"-No, listen to me.  I've got mah reasons; and they're not all about Hoshi and Charlie.  Do you realise when the NX-01 came home I was five years behind the latest Star Fleet technology.  _Five years.  Let me tell you, readin' the latest technical manuals from thousands a light-years away ain't the same as bein' here."_

"Sure you missed things back here, but, Trip, you knew more then about alien technologies than any human engineer on Earth did."

Trip shook his head.

"For a few months, maybe.  They caught up with me real quick once we got back.  But the real work isn't out there, fixin' the same engine week after week when it breaks down.  It's bein' right here.  I know how good the NX-02 is gonna be because I damn well built it, hammer and nail."

"And don't you want to see her fly?"

"Send me a picture," Trip grunted, picking up more tools.

Jonathan sighed, and leaned against a bench.

"Hoshi's always goin' on at me about lettin' Charlie in here," Trip muttered, still clearing up.  "She convinced herself he's gonna pick the wrong thing up one day and melt or somethin'."

"She might have a point," Archer said, looking round at some of the stranger-looking tools in Trip's collection.

"Nah," Trip shook his head.  "Charlie's never in here without me, and he knows not to touch anythin'."

There was a pause.

"What if you could bring them with you?  Would you consider it then?"

Trip looked up.  

"It might be possible, Trip.  Ever since you turned me down, I've been thinking about it.  Maybe I can get Forrest to agree with me."

"No, Jon," Trip said.  "Even if ya could convince Star Fleet it's a good idea, there's no way you could convince Hoshi.  Or me for that matter.  Honestly, how many times were we nearly killed or attacked when we were on Enterprise?  A ship like that, on a mission into the unknown – it's no place for children.  Besides, Hoshi's happy here.  Oh, she'd go back into space! – especially if I asked her to.  But she loves teachin', and she's real good at it too.  I couldn't ask her ta give that up for me.

"Do you know, it was our anniversary the other week.  I took Hoshi to look at the Enterprise – the original one I mean."

"Remembering old times?" Jonathan smiled.

"Somethin' like that.  But you know what I realised?  I was walkin' round that old engine room, and I realised that I don't miss it anymore.  Honestly I don't.  And that was quite a revelation ta me.  Givin' up that engine was one'a the hardest things I've ever done in my life, but I didn't feel a twinge.  And that's because the most important things I had on Enterprise, I took with me."  

Jonathan Archer stared at his friend, and he hadn't known Trip Tucker nearly twenty years for nothing.

"I'm not going to change your mind on this am I?" he asked, disappointed despite himself.

"No, sir," Trip replied.  "You'll jus' have to find yourself a new engineer – but mind you get a good one."

Archer sighed.

"I guess I knew when you said no the first time I couldn't really convince you otherwise," he admitted.

"Why're you givin' me the hard sell anyway?  I've already given Star Fleet a refusal in writin'."

"I still need an engineer, Trip, and besides, Hoshi told me it might be worth one last shot."

"_Hoshi said that?"  Trip stared at Jonathan, incredulous._

"Yeah, didn't she tell you?  She sent me a message last week."

Trip was still staring.

"Nah, she didn't tell me."

-----

"Why did you invite Jon here?"

"I'm sorry?"

"I said, why did ya invite Jon round here?"

"I didn't invite him," Hoshi said, frowning at Trip.

"Don't lie ta me!  He told me you sent him a message."

Hoshi sighed.

"I sent him a communication last week.  I didn't tell him to come here - he decided to do that, and I was glad to see him."

"But you did tell him ter speak to me about the job again."

There was a pause.

"Yes… I did say that."

"Why?"

"Trip... does it really matter?"

"Yes it matters!  After everythin' I said ter you on the Enterprise!  I've turned the job down, Hoshi and I thought you understood why.  Didn't ya believe me?  I feel like I'm been tested.  Sure you jus' weren't reassurin' yourself?"

"I just wanted you to be sure you were doing the right thing." Hoshi sighed.  "And… I've been thinking about it a lot, Trip, and I think you should go.  I think you should accept Jon's offer."

Trip said nothing at first.  He paced around the living room.

"And what about you - and him," he added, pointing to Charlie outside in the garden with Jonathan.

Hoshi looked too.

"Charlie can't go, it's too dangerous.  Maybe I could go with you… but we couldn't both leave him.  I'd have to stay here – keep my job at the academy."

"I wouldn't see either of you for two years."

Hoshi looked at her feet.

"I know," she said quietly.

"Hoshi, do you _want me out of the way?"_

"No!"

"Then why?  Why go through all of this again?"

This time it was Hoshi who paced.

"Look… maybe I am testing you.  I just… I just need to be sure you're happy staying.  That Charlie and I aren't keeping you from what you want.  I don't want you to turn around in ten years and tell me you resent me holding you back!"

"You'd rather I turn round in ten years and wonder where our marriage went?  Or complain about how I missed seeing my boy grow up?  No, Hoshi.  Maybe one day we will go back into space.  Maybe when Charlie's old enough to go too, or it's safe enough to take a kid.  Who knows?  In the meantime, I'm staying right here."

He walked up to her.

"Whether you like it or not."

Hoshi couldn't help smiling.

"I think I can cope with that."

"You know, you keep tryin' ta get rid of me I might think you want rid… Don't smirk like that at me!"

"It was a smile!"

"It was a smirk."

"Mommy, Daddy!"

They were interrupted by their son, running happily into the house.  Jonathan Archer came in after him, trying not to puff.

"Mommy, Uncle Jon says I can go live on the spaceship!  Can I, can I?"

Jon tried to look nonchalant as two pairs of eyes stared at him angrily.


End file.
